Hurdles for use in track and field events have been known for centuries. Examples of hurdles are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,119 (Eloranto) which is directed to a HURDLE BOOM HOLDER and generally comprises a cupholder for supporting a hurdle boom 10 and having a gliding part 1 which is sleeve like and mounted around a pillar to be moved vertically on the pillar and a support 2 on which the end of the boom is supported. The sleeve like gliding part is "broken" at one point and a locking apparatus is formed by a tightening apparatus which pulls opposite edges of the gliding part toward each other so that the sliding part presses against the pillar.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,057 (Zody) is directed to an ADJUSTMENT TOOL FOR TELESCOPING MEMBERS and has a biased detent locking assembly which extends outwardly through aligned apertures in the telescoping members in locked position and which must be depressed inwardly to enable longitudinal adjustment of the members and more particularly to a release tool for quick adjustment of the telescoping legs of track hurdles. The Zody tool is characterized by a pressure plate having an interface with one or more inwardly extending release protuberances and an outer face including a handle for facilitating use and manipulations.
While many hurdles are known and disclosed in many publications and patents (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,932--Adjustable Counter weighted Hurdle; U.S. Pat. No. 5.205,799--Telescoping Hurdle With Base Adapter; French Patent No. 2,690,628--Multipurpose Gymnastic Device With Adjustable Supports) they do not appear to focus on the need for accurate placement of the hurdle board to be directly above a point where such boards should be for hurdle events. "Accuracy" has typically been achieved by "eyeing" an approximately vertical line from a point on the track to the hurdle board or by using a stick. Of course, the eye could be inaccurate as could a stick if, for instance, it is not held perfectly vertical.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hurdle in which the hurdle board may easily be placed at a precise location above a certain point or line on a track.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hurdle board holder which is firm and onto which a hurdle board may easily be secured.